Cellphones are proving to be just as powerful as professional cameras when it comes to capturing award-winning images at the annual Māpua Maritime Museum Amateur Photographic Competition.
Most images entered in the competition, including winning ones, are taken on cellphones, showing expensive camera equipment is not needed to be in the running.
“This is an amateur competition, open to keen photographers of all ages and given how great cellphone cameras are now, everyone can capture a winning image,” one of the organisers, Elaine Fisher says.
Entries are now open for this year’s competition, which features exciting new categories and even more prizes donated by 20 generous local sponsors.
One of the new categories is Māpua Dawn Chorus Bird, sponsored by Java Hut and Rabbit Island Coffee Co.
Other categories are Boats, People, Nature and a new Landscape/seascape category. This includes local vineyards and farms, national parks, and coastal and marine areas.
Photos for these five categories must be taken within the defined boundaries, from Golden Bay to Cable Bay, and include inland as well as coastal locations.
A new Travel category, sponsored by Bruce Batty of Summit, is for photos taken anywhere in New Zealand.
Coolstore Gallery Māpua is a major new sponsor for the children’s Nature and Travel categories, while the Wharf Shack sponsors the children’s Boats category.
Once again, the major sponsor is CopyArt, which not only prints entrants’ photos but also provides generous prizes for the competition.
Other sponsors include Delicious Homewares, The Smokehouse, Jared’s Fruit and Veg, Apple Shed, Jellyfish, Split Apple Rock Cruise, Earth & Sea Jewellery, Darby & Joan Mapua, Kiwi Journeys, Sprig & Fern, Hamish’s Mapua, The Indian Mapua and Mapua Chemist.
The competition is open to children under 15 and to adults. Entries close on Friday, 17 July 2026.
An exhibition of the photos will be on display at the Port Māpua Maritime Museum from Monday, 20 July, to Sunday, 2 August, when prizegiving will take place.
Some images will feature in a special 2027 calendar and all proceeds from the competition and calendar support the museum.
Entry forms are available from Delicious Homewares at the Māpua Wharf or by emailing mapuaboatclubevents@gmail.com.
